Before heading to the streets of St. Petersburg, the NTT IndyCar Series has made some changes.
NTT IndyCar Season is nearly underway. On Friday, March 3rd, 27 cars will be running on the streets of St. Pete, the most entries in over a decade, to take the first free practice of the 2023 season. But, before the season starts, there are some storylines that IndyCar fans should be aware of.
What is at stake
The fight to win the Astor Cup and to get their name onto the Borg-Warner Trophy will be the biggest one yet, with the most entries of any top single-seater category in the world.
Last season, we had the most on-track passes in seven seasons. Champion Will Power broke the all-time record for pole positions, with an astonishing 68 poles.
Fellow Kiwis Scott Dixon and Scott McLaughlin fought for victory all the way and were separated by 0.1067 at the end of the Nashville race, the closest on a street circuit ever. And, at the Indy 500, Scott Dixon recorded the fastest-ever pole speed in qualifying, reaching a mind-blowing 234.046 mph.
This season, Scott Dixon can break the record for the most IndyCar titles, he’ll be fighting for his seventh crown. Also, Castroneves’ “Drive for five” will have another chapter on the Brickyard. Fellow Brazilian, 2013 Indy 500 champion, Tony Kanaan will have his last ride and Katherine Legge will come back to the grid.You can read Pit Debrief editor’s predictions here.
TV Broadcast improved and new series to launch
US fans will be able to watch IndyCar on NBC for a record 15 times, including two days of qualifying for the 107th running of the Indy 500. The first seven races, from St. Pete to Detroit, and the last six, from Iwoa to the title decider at Laguna Seca. All races will be streamed via Peacock. Also, for the second consecutive year, Telemundo Deportes will provide Spanish-language coverage for the season-opening, the Indy 500, and the season finale.
In addition, fans will be able to enjoy a new F1 Drive to Survive type of show, “100 Days to Indy”, via the VICE Media Group and the CW Network. It will air on April 27th, on the CW Network.
“Between the front row seat that The CW Network will provide fans and the best seat in the house provided by NBC, there won’t be a storyline without a spotlight. We look forward to taking INDYCAR’s fierce and intense competition to a new and more youthful audience throughout 2023,” said Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles.
All the changes for the 2023 season
IndyCar will make key improvements to enhance safety for the drivers: During each event, Indiana University Heath will provide a new Medical Unit for better care in case of an accident; the areoscreen will be equipped with mandatory rain vanes to wick water; there will be a bigger rear attenuator with a bigger LED light, to improve visibility; the rear-wheel tethers will be stronger to prevent the tyres to get lost in case of an accident; the headrest will increase its size and a new stronger steering arm.
On the aero side: The short oval barde boards will be allowed to use in road and street course rounds; at the Texas Motor Speedway the underwing sidewall is now optional and on the IMS there will be several changes to the chassis in order for the cars to be more stable and allow the teams more setup options.
Tino Belli, INDYCAR director of aerodynamic development declared: “At the Indy 500, drivers in the pack can run up to 10% more downforce than last year.
“With the increased rear wing range, – 3 degrees more range – teams can still try and trim out the rear wing for end of race speed – and go for the win – if they have worked their way up into the lead group.
“Overall, INDYCAR wants to give race teams more options going into 2023. The optional barge boards give them a crucial tool when they consider, strategically, what it will take to get to victory lane.”
Another novelty for 2023 will be the addition of EM Motorsports Telemetry to the EM Marshalling System. The new telemetry will allow teams to receive more information to make better and faster decisions. It will also add to the TV transmission.
For the first time, IndyCar will use the red wall alternate compound on an oval event. The test will take place at Gateway and could change oval racing forever. The rules applied will be the same as in road and street courses, every driver will need to use both compounds.
Double points on the Indy 500 is no longer a thing from 2023 onwards. Analysis showed that teams with a bad performance at the race were over-penalized. Last year, a bad race by Team Penske could have cost them the championship while Marcus Ericsson was in contention until the last race because of “only” winning the 500.
The “second groove” practice sessions on ovals at TMS and Gateway will continue in 2023. It will provide more grip on the higher lane during the race.
Rules in qualifying will change. The first red flag during Segments One and Two on road and street courses will stop the 10-minute clock. The subsequent red flags will keep it running. Firestone Fast Six will keep having six minutes of guaranteed time. To maximise time during quali, the stop clock will not start until the first car passes the alternate start-finish line.
St. Pete will be only in seven days’ time, so keep up with the closest and most competitive racing series in the world. And do it with us, here at Pit Debrief.
